2011 Cell Biology of Metals Gordon Research Conference

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Cell Biology of Metals Gordon Conference provides a highly interactive forum that allows junior and senior investigators alike to learn of recent advances in our understanding of metal homeostasis in cells, between cells and within organisms. Metal ions such as zinc, copper, iron and manganese are both essential for life and deleterious at high concentrations and are now linked to numerous diseases ranging from developmental disorders and dysfunction of the nervous, hemopoietic and immune systems. The connections between misregulation of metal homeostasis, metal utilization and cofactor assembly and human disease, and how changes in metal availability influence innate immunity against bacterial pathogens represent just two of the many topical themes of the 2011 Cell Biology of Metals Gordon Conference. Our specific aims are (1) To organize and support a conference that allows participants to learn of recent advances in our understanding of the cell biology of transition metal homeostasis, from model organisms to humans; (2) To promote the efficient exchange of scientific ideas as a means to develop collaborations among diverse investigators that otherwise may not interact, from bioinorganic chemists, to mass spectrometrists to structural and cell biologists, that cuts across multiple metal ions of biological significance; and (3) To create a highly interactive forum that allows junior investigators, from graduate students to postdoctoral scientists to assistant professors, to exchange ideas with established leaders in our rapidly growing field. Women and scientists from underrepresented groups figure prominently in our conference program. Other scientific sessions will cover the molecular and structural biology of metal ion sensing, trafficking, transport, and efflux, the interplay of metals and oxidative stress sensing, next generation technologies to quantify total and bioavailable metals, and metal allocation in plants as revealed by genome-wide metallomics and ionomics. Invited oral presentations will be given by both new and established leaders in the field, as well as from selected poster abstracts. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The 2011 Cell Biology of Metals Gordon Research Conference will present recent advances in our understanding of transition metal (iron, copper, zinc, manganese and cobalt) homeostasis in cells, between cells and within organisms. Iron metabolism is humans and discussion of how bacterial pathogens function to exploit the metal ion landscape to enhance survival in the human host are two important topics to be covered. In addition, this conference will highlight discussions of how misregulation of metal homeostasis and utilization underscores human disease.